##VIDEO ID:dxKwNNXV9no## I'm happy [Music] to this is your first meeting I'm happy to present our new HRC commissioner sa sat sat she came highly recommended To Us by the council everybody else and we and we presented her to the C and the council loat her so uh she's here for her first meeting and she's been active in the township uh with the Palestinian group and everything else so I told be a good idea to have her introduce herself and to explain to her what she's been doing in a very brief way and then we can ask her any questions and hopefully as she presents more people will come in so we'll have a COR okay thank you um well hi everyone I'm Samina satar um I uh have lived in Franklin for about 12 years um but I've lived in New Jersey for about 20 um so it's been a while um I live with my husband and my two kids um over on Ward one like the south side of the township um and uh I work at a company called Mathematica so I'm a a policy researcher by by trade um I've worked at Mathematica for about 17 years now um and I do research um mostly in the Workforce Development space um right now I I did some studies for the US Department of Labor um as well as uh the National Science Foundation um and some uh private foundations um so that's the work that I've been doing there um I'm also on the Board of uh the New Jersey Islamic networks Group which is um the New Jersey chapter of a National Organization that does uh kind of interfaith speaking so you know I present on um Islam uh at like you know high schools middle schools um and also with other kind of like professional organizations um just so people have a better sort of basic understanding of Islam and uh Muslims and their history um in the US and the world um so that's one of my other uh uh jobs um uh and uh so Gary wanted me to talk a little bit about uh the Palestine event that we had um and some other organizing that I've done in Franklin um so the Palestine event that we had um in October of this year was called uh actually last year sorry now it's 2025 um it was uh called connect with Palestine uh day and it was uh sort of an event that um a number of residents in Franklin um who have been kind of you know watching uh what's been going on in the Middle East and and knowing that we have you know a sizable Palestinian community in in Franklin and also in New Jersey um wanted to find a way to kind of recognize the you know the history of Palestine and to find a way to celebrate the community here at home um so we had um an event in Colonial Park and we had vendors who you know were sort of serving palan food other food from the region um you know selling Palestinian uh art and um products um and then we had um some speakers both local and from you know the sort of region and we had some guests um including some uh youth who have come from uh Gaza and Palestine um to get medical care in the US um so it was kind of a you know sort of it was a a few hours but um it was just an opportunity to kind of recognize you know sort of the the diversity of the community here and and uh you know the history of the Palestinian Community as well um so that was my that was the Palestine event I also am part of an organization um called GMA that's Qi d m a um in Franklin that is mostly Franklin residence um and what we've been doing is just sort of like you know came came together as as residents sort of seeing that there you know are s sort of community needs here in the township um and so we've been working with uh various organizations like the um the school district um and the food bank um and other parts in the township to see you know how we can kind of get our community together to sort of support and organize um other other parts of the community so we we did um an event where we um held a uh kind of a um we were part of uh the school's like uh first day of first day of school kind of event at um at the elementary school and we had donations of uh clothing so that any families could come and kind of pick out you know like new outfits for their uh kids for the first day of school um so it's just you know just a little way we know you know the first day of school is a special thing and and some families don't uh can't afford to have you know new things for their kids on that day so we felt like that was just a small thing that we could you know do to make that uh make the school year uh special for students um we also um held a event um earlier in the year to honor um the Muslim Heritage Month last year was the first year in New Jersey that Muslim heritage month was recognized in January um this year was the second year so last year we uh did what we called uh n night um and organized um just sort of a fun event for the community with uh entertainment and food and um and music and things like that so so you know there's a lot of a lot of different things I feel like I've been um in a lot of different types of things uh but you know hopeful hopefully continuing to do that this this year as well um and happy to learn you know what other what what other folks are doing and what other resources we have in the community so we can all kind of collaborate on things in the future I guess one other activity that I've heard that getma will be doing is having a program for the homeless yeah so homes um is an organization that is I think Somerset County based um and they do have some um families who are homeless from Franklin as as well uh so we're going to do another sort of newer night uh this this year but you know in honor of those families and and for them um specifically uh so we'll have you know dinner and and uh entertainment for the kids um that's going to be a February yeah that's going to be February uh 16th I think um in the senior center so uh yeah so hopefully that'll be another they also understand that every month you have you provide food for those that they need to have some hot meal yes uh so the uh there's a soup kitchen in uh New Brunswick which is uh kind of owned and operated by the uh New Brunswick Islamic Center and Bic um and uh we've been uh collaborating with them to um feed whoever comes to the soup kitchen um uh every two weeks um every uh sort of second Wednesday um and uh so we all kind of like either donate food or donate money to to buy food um and you know espec especially now I think when it's so cold um you know a lot of people come like you know there's people lined up um down the street from from the sou kitchen um so it really seems like there is there is a big need um so it's it's great that um that we can do that too wonderful any other question talk about this a thing that's happening on oh yeah Sunday yeah yeah so on Sunday uh this Sunday in the senior center uh we're uh hosting what we're calling a community conversation um so it's uh being co-hosted by by the human relations commission and the Interfaith Council yeah um but uh we've been sort of working on this for a little while um because you know there's there's like I said uh you know there's been a lot going on in the Middle East and you know it has affected like our community here um you know we have a sizable Jewish Community a Muslim Community an you know Arab and Christian Community um and you know they have we have a lot of interest in in what's happening so you know we know there's been you know there's certain topics that are just hard to talk about and and we feel like Franklin is such a diverse community that we really need the tools you know uh as neighbors to be able to you know agree to disagree or or just like talk about you know things without feeling like you know we have to alienate ourselves from each other because of you know what's going on so so this event um we have the New Jersey office of civil rights the the division of SP rights um uh they're coming to sort of facilitate um sort of small group discussions um among community members and you know we opened it to everyone it's on it's on the township social media so hopefully um a lot of people have seen it um and yeah we're just we're having dinner and we're you know having the rights division team kind of just like you know introduce the topic and facilitate some discussions and have people talk and sort of share their you know perspectives um and just share a meal where is it so that's at the senior center on Sunday at 4:00 I should have brought some of the Flyers um but I can I can email the flyer to the group um because you have everybody on the email right yeah why don't you email that okay yeah I can send that out especially uh Mike oh you know what do something else okay any more questions uh we still need one more for a quorum so we'll we'll go on and know why don't you give us an update on the uh FL project I know You' been working on that hard with with the township or yes so um because Alex has to know about it because has to go to the council yes um actually I just sent an email he copies me on the email copy um I appreciate that what it is again so uh we are um hoping to spearhead a project that will bring the Hometown Heroes flag project to um to Franklin um and I met with uh Gary and I met with safia if you recall I brought up this idea I had this idea a good year ago now almost um to do it we are um when Gary and I met with the safy Kalan the project manager for the township um she was going to get um at our request some best practices from uh Manville which already has had um a successful launch of their um project these These are um pretty um organic in the sense that it's not just a One-Shot deal you just don't um post the flags you can continue to post them you know however long you would like them to be posted depending on you know the demand for families um and the town to want to continue the project but the idea is that you honor either a living um family member or loved one that has served in the military or someone who um has passed away whether in the line of duty or has passed away um outside of military service you honor their memory um with a flag that's posted in the town so when uh safy and I and um Gary met we we were talking about um probably having the flags fly um in the in this Township complex you know and then as we filled this Township complex we would go um throughout deat Lane and use deat Lane um for many reasons this is the site where we have our memorials to all the military um branches and it's also a place where we all gather for multiple um events um here in the town um it's a place where people come together um to to to do many beautiful things um and also to remember beautiful things um we are kind of like on hold right now um until we have a subsequent meeting with safy um to to discuss the status of the project she'll be our guide as project manager um for the township she'll be our guide and helping us to um work in in the right direction I did say um Bob a message today an email that I copied you all on wanting to know what the next steps are at what stage should back now go to the council from his operation what's that Bob is back yeah is back long time ago actually yeah okay thank you because there are many things that have to be worked out the financing of it you know some towns raise funds for the project other towns have the family donate the money for the flag um so there there are many things I have in anticipation that we would be doing this sooner than later I have written a draft of web copy that can go on our website to announce the project I I did send that to safy already you know and obviously that would all have to be approved um before anything could go live so now how does this work does it um is it once a year is it a yearly thing that people have to um it would it would uh not membership but um in some towns usually around the holiday say Memorial Day or Veterans Day they'll uh relaunch the project by saying you know by sending at word again via their social media or their websites that we add on we can add on yes so um includes a picture of the person in yes it's the if you Manville has um B Brook has uh yeah planfield has there there a lot of rariden has quite a few communities in Somerset County already have and really in the country if you travel you'll see that you know it all depends a cost depend on the size of the flag you know some folks um fly them with their light post and their down towns others put them somewhere else you know in a in a in a common area like this one for example so we would renew the project that would be up to the council to decide you know how often they would want to renew the project but it's an invitation for us to um partner with the township to honor those who have served people take rotation those flags I mean we definitely there are there are some towns where the flags Fly for a a a period of time and then they're taken down and the family takes them there are other towns where they they fly until they're they're you know no longer in good shape be from wear and tear of the weather um for the most part would be wear and tear of the weather my question was that if we put let's say 20 flag poles so but the number of people that they can be on flag is 50 do we take turn like one month first 20 and the next month the second and so forth I think that would be up to us what we want to do I mean typically if do we have any IDE how many people we talking about how many flags we talking about not until we send the word out a call call for Flags you know I think what we know we don't have an active uh BFW organization on or American Legion in Franklin Township although we do have um a gentleman that that for lack of a better word would serve as a leader of such a group you know if we had one and he's in one of uh he the uh JFK Club put me in contact with him um I did speak to him and he he did endorse the project as did I presented to the Franklin Chamber of Commerce and they said they were behind the project also so I think that would be up to us you know if we if we get 50 forms filled out you know would would we then decide to put however many fit here and then f up until we get to the 50 on deont Lane just as as an example if we use this location plus deont Lane I think we probably would want to avoid multiple changes of flags in one year because that's Manpower you know you'd have to get get them on and off and I guess the maintenance will be also another things that we got to keep in mind sometime the winds tear the flags up so yes soone keep your posted disc continue um I I don't know where the where the policeman is he usually comes but I don't see him tonight so uh also because this is our first meeting of the Year technically we have to reappoint a chairman and a co-chairman which I've been a chairman for quite a while and Edna so I I I need a a motion on that so um want to take over I'm not to complain I make a motion chairman and right continue the responsibility thank you all those in favor thank you I didn't think you were you were going to step down thank you technically um got make a motion sh on the CH you in one motion you did both right yeah okay update on the Kmart shoing Center that was again postponed till sometime in March or April that's still hanging as you know it's been postponed several times uh that's where they they conting putting in apartments and has come to the zoning board several times and it's been postponed so um Alex you have some that that you want so yeah I can I can report a little bit so we had our first meeting on January 7th and we had some reorganization we have a new deputy mayor uh Congress and councilwoman Shea Udin is our Deputy Mayor Shea Udin so we congratulate her and wish her the best um so for this year of course we have like in the past our main uh goal is to keep the taxes low keep our our uh Township safe and um work on projects that uh improves the Health Equity um I guess I have mentioned in the past that between W one and World 4 uh even though pretty much neighbors uh There is almost 8 years of uh life expectancy difference people that live in W one in average they live 8 years longer than those that they live only before and uh We've identified through the data U you know thanks to sappy and a few others uh that shows what are the areas of focus to close that Gap so I am the council liaison and advisor Board of Health so we are very closely working with um uh Somerset County uh Board of Health to bring services to town in fact we brought couple of services the VAC the flu shot vaccination we had it in food bank and uh there are few other things that we planning this year do the same thing and and hopefully uh through some other ways we can help to uh close that Gap and one of the things that we did um on it during the advisor board Board of Health meeting we always bring a speaker and so we we bring people from subset County to come and share with us the type of services they have how what can we do to IND those services to the township so now at Food Bank we have one person who is uh going to be there to help with mental health issues in case somebody needs it they are going to be there the other thing that is happening starting January every month there is going to be a a service screening health screening and they are going to be at Food Bank so and I believe I may have sent you the flyers if not we'll send it again to spread the word let people know that that service is going to be available on on ongoing basis uh and so those are the the couple things the other things that we are hoping to happen in our Township is uh uh two groundbreaking one is for YMCA um I uh my wife wife and I we um uh became member of ycf scataway uh December 1st actually and I can't tell you how great it is and it definitely you go there you see people of all uh nationalities all backgrounds all age groups uh they have a great U uh facilities they have really wonderful PS three pools and um it's going to if we that to town it definitely is going to help the well-being of our community members which is going to again help to close that Gap so and not only that they have all kinds of rooms that people can use it for meetings for dialogues uh they bring uh students from uh you know high school students for example they they participate in swimming and other sports there they have a wonderful basketball court so I am really hoping that we will have YMCA in our Township in the next 3 four five years but hopefully the ground breaking will will happen this year and we brought her make make laska and talked about it yeah we had Meg Meg we did have her here once so you want me to have her again let me know uh no I I think right now what they they're looking for this is almost like $45 million project so what they're looking is is to have some seed money almost like $5 million to start the project and uh so we're looking at other ways you know the township has given them the the the land so that land is available for them to use to build so uh mayor is working on it I I know the assembly man Joe Daniels is looking at it one of my colle councilman Rah also is uh actively working on it as several people Bill gero and others so we are all on the same page to try to help this project to hopefully we'll have a ground breaket this year the other project that I think will be great uh is the uh expansion of food bank you know food bank as you know is a provides a great service uh but the number of people that they go to Food Bank is grown quite a bit in fact the last I heard was like 2500 families they go pretty much every months to get some food help them uh but the food bank besides providing the food they want to provide other things like I mentioned that they will have a place for mental health they will have a place for other activities so they they don't have enough enough space really they're limited I don't know how many of you have been there but I've been there a few times uh so they have a a place if in front of or next to Pine grow Manor School and uh so they they're planning to build a nice facility there and I believe it will have a garden and so forth so that's another project that I'm hoping that that will come to fru this year at least a groundbreaking and I understand that's about $12 million project they have 1 million already a grant and they probably going to be reaching out to various organization and business to help so these are two projects that I think as an HRC we should really actively support them because it's really going to have benefit our community you know the the YMCA is going to provide uh employment opportunities you know they have a lot of people that they work in YMCA and and then it's going to help the well-being of our community is going to help our our little ones to learn how to swim and uh you know hopefully they they won't uh draw so these are all the activities that I think it's HRC can really play an active role where is the location for the YMC it's uh on 20 uh 27 I believe pretty close to fathers were yeah close to the board of educationa oh the consada property that's a lot of property right so a couple other things that I was just and they had a veterans program and I was there um and then I saw a few things that I thought that will be beneficial one is this uh prescription uh uh savings card so if if you know anybody who doesn't have prescription or insurance or even if they do but they pay a lot of co-pay you may want to just scan this and uh look at the price you might be surprised that you might save quite a bit money so I have a few of these I'll just pass around and you can just uh uh you can uh in fact uh uh take a picture and put on social media and I did that the other thing that I'd like to share is this New Jersey resources this is uh really a great thing for all the various resources that you have in New Jersey from Health from housing from all kinds of things so I have this and there's a QR code so if you do this everything comes there it's very very uh beneficial to have that and you can pass that around and um this one I'm sure you probably have come across that get help with your utility bills if you know anybody who is low income and this may be beneficial to them so I have a few of the the picture I inan the Flyers that you can pass it around and uh finally uh the uh if you know anybody DEA or heart of hearing there are some resources here so you can share that with them and um but there's also one number that I got there's organization called Hops and uh so if anybody needs anything from housing to utility or whatever they can call this number and they will help and so this one I guess one you can if you want and okay thank you I welome I have a question with the um oh sorry with with with before that for The Advisory Board of Health so one thing that we did you know that we have 10 dispensaries in our town should they open and they will be another eight coming down so one of the concerns that that people have expressed and they have experienced in other states is that people that they buy dispensaries they do not lock them up and children have access or pets have access and they get really sick and they have take them to emergency uh room so we got a nice flyer is a card actually it's called lock it up and so we are going to give uh let's say 250 or so for each dispensary at different places and I took one and there is a bleachers on the Veronica and 27 right there and I took to them I talked to the manager explained to them what that card is and they were very happy and they are going to give that card whoever comes to buy things they're going to give one of the cars to the the customers so they can just have it on the refrigerator or keep it as a reminder that it's so important to lock it up so we're going to do that going I'm going to be going to other dispensaries is talking to them and give give to them so just want to let you know that so how many are there still going to open more is there a limit on I understand well we have put a limit as a Township we're not going to be um um you know uh granting new ones but so far 18 of them I believe they have license they have the the permit to uh to open 10 of them they have I believe eight of them they still uh can open and I I believe after that maybe like two or maybe four more they have applied for the license but they have not gone through the rest of it so but the township last year our Council put a a limit on the numbers I know the council I spent a lot of time on this issue so I have a question the food bank yeah um given the amount of money that's needed I think you said at 12 million and a million is good and given the issue of the health disparity that we've identified in those two Wards um are do are there any opportunities for us to get funding because of that you know to to say that we are going to Target some of the the uh issue of Health Equity in town you know by helping our residents to access healthy food and food right so one couple of things that we are learning is that there are so many uh services and resources available in Soma County and even New Jersey and we are trying to tap into them right so we really don't know how much additional help we will need so we first our first task is to see what's out there and how we can take advantage of that but the other thing that the township has done is bring this uh uh health screening and uh also U IM need for immunization and so for to schools uh and so that is I believe going to be starting pretty soon if it's not started already and so and then that is going to expand to the cover the parents as well so the parents can also get that so there are a few things happening right now and at this time I do not know know what additional things we're going to need and where the shortcomings are as far as the the uh the the money is concerned uh the other thing that that we had a meeting uh this past month uh to better utilize or utilize the opioid settlement fund there's quite a bit money that we have in a Township and our Township Police Department basically charge right we talk about mon what was the decision what what so no after that we had a town hall meeting so that was a meeting here but we had a town hall meeting mean last mon and and during the town hall meeting people came they had some ideas they asked basically the the Police director of safety asked that look if you have a project that we can use the opio settlement funds come forward let us look at it and so forth so there's going to be a team there's already team but maybe there will be some additional members to it they're going to be looking at how we can utilize that money right now we use part of it for um uh there is a a service called arrive together you've heard that right so they if there is an a a need for police to go someplace uh they usually have somebody who is a mental health specialist and that person and police goes together and uh they kind of talk over to see if there is a way they can resolve the issue without U having an arrest or God forbid any any other incidents so they are us a part of money to to for that purpose so but if there's a project that we believe that you know that opio settlement funds can be used please reach out to me or just go directly to uh director Mayweather from the police department and then she will be able to help and I know that she had seina had some ideas too that she shared with she wrote something the director she never got a response so uh thank you Alex sure I neglected to as you all know the HR IC is an open public meeting so uh we always welcome the people that aren't Commissioners and I'm always I'm always honored to have Michelle Peterson come as a as a public uh representative and I always ask you have [Music] question Michelle is is is kind of active with because she made a presentation to us about the seeing ey dog she is she she's quite active in that and and she is mostly active in the Army National Guard she has uh two sons that are in the Army National Guard and she spends quite a lot of time with them so we so we have to give her credit for that so so thank you I'm always and her presentation I'm home homeschooling was very impressive very impress very educational too we have a new puppy coming in three weeks so if you guys want to visit I'll have to bring them next time I just want to welome you nice okay I I do need a motion to okay the minutes of October 23rd and December 18th because we didn't not have a a meeting a regular meeting last month because of the opening October 20 20 23rd meeting was cancelled for some reason so I do need a motion to okay the October 23rd minutes and December 18th minutes from some from somebody I need motion a motion do I have a second second thank you okay I don't really have anything else um the war is open to anybody um a smaller crowd because Shep hunda is ill tonight by the way he was also appointed recently to the zoning board so he's he's he's going to continue with us but he's also now on the zoning board so yeah I just wanted to recognize uh assem Daniel put in that event with was really I think you were there and I don't know anybody else was there but that was a great when very educational lot of information was out there and all this stuff that I brought it was from that event we'll put that we'll put that in the minutes how next meeting is February 26th uh I don't have anybody to to them in yet but but um there is a chance that a Sam is that I pronounce his name um might have to resign because he he now has some UH responsibilities make him to go out of town so I ome but U he probably will resign and Michelle was kind enough this evening to give me a name I'll speak to an McCarthy and then I'll talk to you with the council and we'll get her okay yeah two more things also I just wanted to uh again congratulate the U MLK that's right te wonder I was going to for we had an excellent Emily K breakfast and and we had good presentation as a matter of fact everyone here except John could couldn't make the corre we we had over 300 people and we good the show was there was there right and and the the council so it it was a very good U the HRC unfortunately didn't have too much of a representation but I always I always tell people to come I can't force them to come but we wear we wear multiple hats so we were there on behalf of HRC as well as so so if there's nothing else is any else the second the two more I wanted just to mention briefly um I had the opportunity to attend in the police department my brother keep Keepers my brother Keepers I don't know if you have heard about it it's a wonderful program started by by our uh President Obama few years back and the whole idea is to provide the opportunities for African-Americans young African-Americans primarily to u to do well in in as far as the job as far as the the society and so forth so they have already started that program in our Township uh I believe uh when I was there there were some family members that they were there they already have I believe 20 25 members primarily from the high school and this is primarily for high school kids and maybe early college so if you know African-American young men ask them to look for that it's just a great opportunity honestly uh it's uh it's going to benefit them quite a bit my brother keeper okay and uh if you need more information you can get back to me and I can connect you with the with the right people and or you can call even Police Department just ask them for uh any of the uh the key players in that group but they going to have programs um different activities in in high school so you you guys may wanted to spread that word as well the other one the last one Gary is that I want to just to thank the uh organizers of the Muslim Heritage Month activities in our library they had three activities really educational and I don't know if any of you participated but they had paintings they had artwork they had beautiful uh um display of uh uh you know of course and so forth so there's one more coming I believe so keep an eye on that and join this is an opportunity to learn from each other so and especially for HC members uh I highly recommend we as an HRC to take active participation in these things because that's what real the mission of HRC is right to understand each other get to know each other to appreciate each other's culture and we are so lucky that in our Tony we have different cultures and so the last thing the last thing that I want to say we have a new high school principal because or Wilson has retired so I always like to stay close with the Board of Education um if if you could speak to him I'll send him an email I would like him to come to one of our HRC meetings because I I always like to hear the goals and missions of the high school and since we have these two good Junior Commissioners from the high school do you have a chance to talk to them at all who who would you like to speak that's principal Miss Guerrero yeah yeah you a chance to talk to him you can tell him that I would like him if possible to come to one of our HRC I'll invite them you know but but since we have you too it it helps for you to also tell okay if there is nothing else I will take a motion to adjourn and I said as the next meeting is February 26 Welcome to our commission thank you all thank you